The board of Cricket Scotland have stepped down ahead of the publication of a report which is expected to brand the governing body as “institutionally racist”.
The independent probe, to be published tomorrow, was commissioned following racism allegations made last year by Scotland’s all-time leading wicket-taker, Majid Haq, and his former team-mate Qasim Sheikh.
Sheikh said yesterday that it had affected his mental health, and he wanted to see change so that the new generation of cricketers are treated fairly, adding: “The buck falls with leaders at board level.”
An interim update released by investigators Plan4Sport in April revealed more than 200 people had been interviewed, and information had been passed to Police Scotland.
NEWS UPDATE | The Board of Cricket Scotland has resigned. We will work in partnership with @sportscotland with immediate effect to ensure appropriate governance, leadership & support is in place for sport in the days ahead.
Find out more ➡️ https://t.co/S6AF7EyE4A pic.twitter.com/qa2Y0ybcNP
— Cricket Scotland (@CricketScotland) July 24, 2022
Cricket Scotland said on Sunday morning: “The Board of Cricket Scotland has resigned with immediate effect. The Directors sent the letter of resignation to the Interim Chief Executive Officer this morning.
“Cricket Scotland will work in partnership with sportscotland with immediate effect to ensure appropriate governance, leadership and support is in place for the organisation and the sport in the days ahead.
“These arrangements will be reviewed after the publication of the report into racism in cricket in Scotland and updates given accordingly.”
In a letter to the interim chief executive Gordon Arthur, the board wrote: “We are all truly sorry and have apologised publicly to everyone who has experienced racism, or any other form of discrimination, in cricket in Scotland.”
They added: “we believe we must now step aside to enable the required progress to be made in the coming months.”
A source close to the review process confirmed it had found evidence of institutional racism. “That’s absolutely accurate,” the source said. “You’ve got a seven-month review which, at the midway point, had already spoken to more than 200 people who came forward with concerns. There will have been more people who have engaged since that midway point.
“I don’t think anybody can be shocked that institutional racism is where the review is likely to end up. It certainly isn’t a good picture for the sport in Scotland and nobody wants to be where we are today.”
Police Scotland said it was unable to comment.
Meanwhile Para-bowler Garry Hood has been suspended from Scotland’s Commonwealth Games team after a Facebook post about politicians Rishi Sunak and Humza Yousaf.
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